32 Okanagan residents died from heat wave: BC Coroner’s Office

Thirty-two Okanagan residents died from extreme heat last summer, according to updated information from the BC Coroner’s Office.

Not all places of death were noted, however, the coroner’s report did note 12 of these deaths were in Kelowna and another five were in Vernon. These are among the 64 deaths across the Interior Health region.

They are just a fraction of the deaths that occurred across B.C. during the record-breaking heat wave that claimed the lives of at least 595 British Columbians. The largest number of deaths took place between June 25 and July 1, when a heat-dome weather event resulted in numerous temperature records being set throughout the province.

At least 526 deaths occurred during this event, and several of the deaths recorded in the days and weeks following were due to injuries sustained during the heat-dome period.

“While we expect the findings of the death review will significantly contribute to efforts to increase public safety, we must take steps to prepare for future extreme weather events now,” Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, said in a press release.

“The effects of climate change are both real and unpredictable. Having a plan to regularly check in with loved ones who live alone, being aware of cooler and air-conditioned areas in your neighbourhood, and heeding early warnings about extreme weather are simple steps that will help ensure we are all properly prepared and safe.”

Consistent with International Classification of Diseases definitions, the BC Coroners Service considers a death heat-related when the localized environment or the body temperature of a decedent is consistent with hyperthermia or there is no direct temperature at the time of death, but there is evidence to support that heat had a significant causal effect on the death.

Nearly three-quarters of the deaths recorded between June 25 and July 1 occurred in either the Fraser (273) or Vancouver Coastal (120) health authority regions. The provincewide death rate during this period was 10.1 per 100,000 residents. Individuals aged 70 or older accounted for 69 per cent  of deaths. No heat-related deaths among children were reported.

The BC Coroners Service expects to have completed individual investigations of each of the 595 heat-related deaths by early 2022.

At that time, the service will convene a death review panel consisting of subject-matter experts who will create recommendations intended to prevent similar deaths. The findings of the panel are expected to be publicly released in late spring 2022.

Kamloops hit a new daily record of 40.7 C in June, shattering an old record of 38.4 set in 2006. In Kelowna, the mercury reached 38.9 C, breaking the previous record of 37.5 C set in 2002.

The Osoyoos heat was a scorcher at 40.1 C, smashing the previous record of 39.3 C set in 2002 on June 26.

Princeton hit 38.8 C, breaking the previous record of 36.5 C set in 2006, and Vernon recorded a new record of 38.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing the old record of 36. 7 C set in 2002.